Swashbuckling Woodsman [Archive] - Wizards Community

Swashbuckling Woodsman [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WCH
12-26-05, 02:59 PM I've got a Human Swashbuckler 3 who uses two handaxes made for an up-coming one-off, and I could use a little help with the flavour text.

The idea is to have him as a woodsman who recently fell in love with a druid and went adventuring with her; handaxes I decided are a very appropriate woodsman weapon, and I needed Swashbuckler so that he would be able to actually be effective in combat with his 12 Str, 16 Dex, 15 Con, 14 Int, 14 Wis and 12 Cha (organic 4d6).

However... this poses the slight problem that Swashbucklers are about as removed from woodsmen as Mind Flayers are from Clerics of Pelor; theoretically you could make a Mind Flayer who became a Cleric of Pelor and atoned for the evil of his youth, but who would do such a thing?

So... how should I rectify the two? One idea I had was to make him the son of Clyde, a dual-kukri fighter from the city. Perhaps an illegitimate son who never knew his father and took up two-weapon fighting coincidentally, perhaps a youth who fled to the forest due to some crime, and adapted the two-weapon combat his father had taught him to the axes that were plentiful in his new community. Which of those two is better?

Also, I'd like to further flesh out his role as a swashbuckling loner; as he is lvl 3, he clearly has some real combat experience, not just experimentation. Any ideas? My initial thought was sparring with other woodsmen and proving to them that strength doesn't matter, but I'm not entirely convinced.
Grizzled Gryphon
12-27-05, 08:50 AM Basically, your problem is the skill selection. Aside from that, it is just a flavor thing. However, if you take the skills like balance, climb, tumble, jump, and maybe a profession that is nature oriented, you could do it. Sure, the Swashbuckler is a city type character, like the rogue. However, I have played many rogues that were great in the wilderness. however, if you feel this way, why not make him a ranger? you have the stas for it. Go the twf way, and your good to go. Also, you have all the wilderness skills you want.

Just remember, the Swashbuckler is mainly a finesse fighter. That doesn't restrict him in any way to the enviroment he is from. They certainly aren't anthema to a wilderness setting, as you seem to think. If they are, then so is a fighter.

If that isn't enough, then look at it this way. In the history of the real world, there is a group of people that lived in the wilderness, used hand axes, and never wore heavy armor. Who was that? The american Indian. So, take your character, give him a bow, and put a feather in his hair, and your done.

Hope this helps.
Sosthenes
12-27-05, 03:51 PM A justification for a suave woodsman? Hah! Faeries!

The son of a poor lumberjack, you've always been a dreamer. A fact that almost cost your father a few finger on a few occasions where you were cutting timber together. You always sought escape from the daily drudge and you often wandered around daydreaming in the forest. That's when you met a Pixie fleeing from a fierce Worg. You distracted the big bad wolf and using all your wit and dexterity, barely escaped. That got you a new friend who eventually introduced you to the local fearie court -- for fey standards quite small and a little backwards. You spent many a days listening to pixie and satyr bards and sparred with beastmen and centaurs. Now your father wants to put and end to this nonsense and marry you off to a fat miller's daughter. Flee! (Or for more melodrama, let him fall ill and search for a cure to his disease).

If that's not your taste, maybe play the heir to the throne/guild/castle who had to fled after an usurper killed his parents (or they tried to kill you). With the old dwarven weapon master you lived in the woods for 6 years, learning its ways. But you always trained hard for the days you got your revenge...

Or you're the son of the count's female gamekeeper. Your father was a nobleman, so your mother always kept you in the woods so that no one could see the striking resemblance. You always watched the children of the noblemen practice with their rapiers and daggers. The only weapons you had, where some hatchets. But after shadow-fighting for days and days, you managed to become highly proficient. Yet you awareness could be improved. While sparring against a dead tree, a hunting group of noblemen spotted you. Soon you became the target of their ridicule. One of the group noticed that you look a little like the son of the Comte and goaded him with it. The young nobleman became furious and tried to strike you. You struck back. One thing led to the other and soon you had to take your hatchets to defend your life. You never fought against a living partner before and just went through your routines. A flawed parry of his, a gut reaction of yours -- fratricide!
Now you lead the life of an outcast, running away from bounty hunters, your bad conscience and the wrath of the gods. One day after yet another fight you barely won, you collapsed at a tranquil grove. There a druid found you and healed you of your wounds. She now tries to heal your mind, too, by teaching you of the Druid's lore, a lore withouth wrathful gods...
WCH
12-28-05, 03:15 PM however, if you feel this way, why not make him a ranger? you have the stas for it. Go the twf way, and your good to go. Also, you have all the wilderness skills you want.
This is why.

Currently, full attack: two mwk handaxes +5 melee (1d6+3/x3), 28 hp, 20 AC
As ranger, full attack: two mwk handaxes +5 melee (1d6+1/x3), 24 hp, 19 AC

In other words... I'd be worse at everything in combat when not fighting my favoured enemy, in exchange for 10 skill points, track and wild empathy.

This is the problem: swashbuckler is mechanically exactly what I want, but the flavour is somewhat off. Swashbucklers gain their bonuses from dancing like faeries when they fight, and have diplomacy instead of survival. Not impossible to rectify (or I wouldn't bother), but a little awkward, hence my posting here.

@Sosthenes
Thanks, some good ideas, I'll have to mull them over a while.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WCH 12-26-05, 02:59 PM	I've got a Human Swashbuckler 3 who uses two handaxes made for an up-coming one-off, and I could use a little help with the flavour text. The idea is to have him as a woodsman who recently fell in love with a druid and went adventuring with her; handaxes I decided are a very appropriate woodsman weapon, and I needed Swashbuckler so that he would be able to actually be effective in combat with his 12 Str, 16 Dex, 15 Con, 14 Int, 14 Wis and 12 Cha (organic 4d6). However... this poses the slight problem that Swashbucklers are about as removed from woodsmen as Mind Flayers are from Clerics of Pelor; theoretically you could make a Mind Flayer who became a Cleric of Pelor and atoned for the evil of his youth, but who would do such a thing? So... how should I rectify the two? One idea I had was to make him the son of Clyde, a dual-kukri fighter from the city. Perhaps an illegitimate son who never knew his father and took up two-weapon fighting coincidentally, perhaps a youth who fled to the forest due to some crime, and adapted the two-weapon combat his father had taught him to the axes that were plentiful in his new community. Which of those two is better? Also, I'd like to further flesh out his role as a swashbuckling loner; as he is lvl 3, he clearly has some real combat experience, not just experimentation. Any ideas? My initial thought was sparring with other woodsmen and proving to them that strength doesn't matter, but I'm not entirely convinced.
Grizzled Gryphon 12-27-05, 08:50 AM	Basically, your problem is the skill selection. Aside from that, it is just a flavor thing. However, if you take the skills like balance, climb, tumble, jump, and maybe a profession that is nature oriented, you could do it. Sure, the Swashbuckler is a city type character, like the rogue. However, I have played many rogues that were great in the wilderness. however, if you feel this way, why not make him a ranger? you have the stas for it. Go the twf way, and your good to go. Also, you have all the wilderness skills you want. Just remember, the Swashbuckler is mainly a finesse fighter. That doesn't restrict him in any way to the enviroment he is from. They certainly aren't anthema to a wilderness setting, as you seem to think. If they are, then so is a fighter. If that isn't enough, then look at it this way. In the history of the real world, there is a group of people that lived in the wilderness, used hand axes, and never wore heavy armor. Who was that? The american Indian. So, take your character, give him a bow, and put a feather in his hair, and your done. Hope this helps.
Sosthenes 12-27-05, 03:51 PM	A justification for a suave woodsman? Hah! Faeries! The son of a poor lumberjack, you've always been a dreamer. A fact that almost cost your father a few finger on a few occasions where you were cutting timber together. You always sought escape from the daily drudge and you often wandered around daydreaming in the forest. That's when you met a Pixie fleeing from a fierce Worg. You distracted the big bad wolf and using all your wit and dexterity, barely escaped. That got you a new friend who eventually introduced you to the local fearie court -- for fey standards quite small and a little backwards. You spent many a days listening to pixie and satyr bards and sparred with beastmen and centaurs. Now your father wants to put and end to this nonsense and marry you off to a fat miller's daughter. Flee! (Or for more melodrama, let him fall ill and search for a cure to his disease). If that's not your taste, maybe play the heir to the throne/guild/castle who had to fled after an usurper killed his parents (or they tried to kill you). With the old dwarven weapon master you lived in the woods for 6 years, learning its ways. But you always trained hard for the days you got your revenge... Or you're the son of the count's female gamekeeper. Your father was a nobleman, so your mother always kept you in the woods so that no one could see the striking resemblance. You always watched the children of the noblemen practice with their rapiers and daggers. The only weapons you had, where some hatchets. But after shadow-fighting for days and days, you managed to become highly proficient. Yet you awareness could be improved. While sparring against a dead tree, a hunting group of noblemen spotted you. Soon you became the target of their ridicule. One of the group noticed that you look a little like the son of the Comte and goaded him with it. The young nobleman became furious and tried to strike you. You struck back. One thing led to the other and soon you had to take your hatchets to defend your life. You never fought against a living partner before and just went through your routines. A flawed parry of his, a gut reaction of yours -- fratricide! Now you lead the life of an outcast, running away from bounty hunters, your bad conscience and the wrath of the gods. One day after yet another fight you barely won, you collapsed at a tranquil grove. There a druid found you and healed you of your wounds. She now tries to heal your mind, too, by teaching you of the Druid's lore, a lore withouth wrathful gods...
WCH 12-28-05, 03:15 PM	however, if you feel this way, why not make him a ranger? you have the stas for it. Go the twf way, and your good to go. Also, you have all the wilderness skills you want. This is why. Currently, full attack: two mwk handaxes +5 melee (1d6+3/x3), 28 hp, 20 AC As ranger, full attack: two mwk handaxes +5 melee (1d6+1/x3), 24 hp, 19 AC In other words... I'd be worse at everything in combat when not fighting my favoured enemy, in exchange for 10 skill points, track and wild empathy. This is the problem: swashbuckler is mechanically exactly what I want, but the flavour is somewhat off. Swashbucklers gain their bonuses from dancing like faeries when they fight, and have diplomacy instead of survival. Not impossible to rectify (or I wouldn't bother), but a little awkward, hence my posting here. @Sosthenes Thanks, some good ideas, I'll have to mull them over a while.